[citation needed] After graduating from the University of Edinburgh with a History MA (Hons) in 1984, Macintosh became a television producer in 1987 for the BBC News Network.

[6] He resigned from this role in September 2002 when he voted against the Labour–Liberal Democrat Coalition Scottish Executive over the closure of the A&E department at the Glasgow Victoria Infirmary.

[7] Macintosh became Deputy Convenor on the Standards Committee but had to resign from this position in 2005 after it was revealed he had failed to declare £330 of hospitality from McDonald's within the required time.

[8] In 2006 and 2007 Macintosh has proposed a Member's Bill to the Scottish Parliament providing for the tougher regulation of sunbed parlours, which passed successfully.

[11] Macintosh was re-elected as MSP for Eastwood at the 2007 election with a narrow majority of 913, where he fought off a strong challenge from the Conservative Party's Jackson Carlaw.

[14] Macintosh had feared losing the constituency following boundary changes[15] (with the removal of Barrhead, Neilston and Uplawmoor) which gave a notional Conservative majority of almost 3,500.

During a September 2011 BBC Scotland TV interview, Labour leader Ed Miliband was unable to recall Macintosh's name.

[25] Colleagues who endorsed his bid included his campaign manager Michael McMahon, Claire Baker, Mary Fee, Neil Bibby, Mark Griffin, Kezia Dugdale, Jenny Marra and East Renfrewshire MP Jim Murphy, with whom Macintosh shared his constituency office in Clarkston, East Renfrewshire.

In early November 2018, Macintosh created controversy when an MSP was sent out of the Holyrood chamber for wearing a rainbow tie in support of LGBTI rights and liberation.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for Edinburgh Western, was told to change the garment by Macintosh during a debate on LGBTI-inclusive education in schools.